Gifts: Wendigo
The Wendigo Gifts Spirits in service to or allied with a tribe's totem teach Tribal Gifts. Some tribes' Gifts haven't changed in centuries, while others (such as the Glass Walkers) regularly reinvent their relationship with the spirits. Learning a Gift from another tribe usually requires the Garou to be on good terms with at least one member of the tribe (generally a packmate) who can summon the appropriate spirit. Even then, the Garou must convince the spirit she is worthy of its blessings, and that she won't turn them against its tribal allies. Some Garou are extremely touchy about outsiders learning their tribal blessings, while others believe the practice strengthens the Garou Nation as a whole in its war against the Wyrm. The magic of the Wendigo is that of the black heart of winter, the howling hunger of the blizzard, and the barren majesty of the north wind. The Siberakh, an obscure, reclusive Siberian sub-tribe, has little to do with the Western Concordiat, and likes it that way. Descended from a mixture of Silver Fang and Wendigo stock, the Siberakh claim Sable as their only particular spiritual ally; otherwise, they use a mixture of Wendigo and Silver Fang Gifts. Generally, Siberakh characters may purchase any Gifts from the Silver Fang and Wendigo lists except those taught by Falcon, his servants, and falcon-spirits, or by Great Wendigo and his servants. Rank 1 Beat of the Heart-Drum The werewolf becomes an inescapable hunter, drawn ever onward by the beat of his prey’s heart until that heart grows still. A spirit servant of Great Wendigo teaches this Gift. System: The Garou must have an object belonging to his target, a piece of the victim (a blood sample, a lock of hair), or must have tasted his quarry’s blood in the past. The player spends a point of Gnosis and rolls Perception + Survival (difficulty 7). The Wendigo can hear her quarry’s heartbeat for one day per success, no matter how far away they may be. The beat grows louder as the werewolf draws near, making tracking effortless. Call the Breeze The werewolf calls up a strong (~20 mph/36 kph), cold wind and directs it as she wills. The wind chills anyone not prepared for it, and can disperse (or redirect) clouds of vapor (including tear gas or airborne toxins) as well as swarms of insects. An air elemental teaches this Gift. System: The Garou whistles or breathes out to summon the wind. Anyone caught in it loses one die from Perception rolls as long as the breeze lasts, and suffers a –1 penalty to all actions after one minute of exposure if not dressed appropriately for cold weather. Camouflage The Wendigo blends in with the surrounding wilderness, the better to evade enemies or prepare ambushes. A deer-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The difficulties to spot the Garou in the wilderness increase by three. Ice Echo The Wendigo conjures a perfect reflection of himself. The image is identical to the Garou, except that it is reversed, as though seen in a mirror (so any writing on the Garou’s clothing would be backwards, scars would be on the wrong side, etc.) The Wendigo can control the image easily, giving it voice and guiding its motion. An ancestor-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The player spends a point of Gnosis to create the Ice Echo at any point within 100 feet (30 m). The Echo moves and sounds exactly like the Garou in addition to taking on her precise appearance, but gives off no scent or heat, and is intangible. Discerning which is the echo and which is the original requires a Perception + Enigmas roll (difficulty of the Garou’s Gnosis). Resist Pain Fortifying herself with purpose and will, the werewolf shuts out the pain of her wounds. A bear- or badger-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Willpower point; the character ignores all wound penalties for the rest of the scene. Rank 2 Cutting Wind The Wendigo conjures up a bitterly cold blast of wind and directs it at will. The wind can knock opponents off their feet and chill them to the bone. A spirit servant of Great Wendigo itself teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Willpower point. Directing the gust requires a Dexterity + Occult roll. Anyone hit by the wind loses two dice from all dice pools for two turns. The wind can also knock foes off ledges, into traffic, or into pits. The wind’s medium range is 20 yards (18 m), and it is modified as per the rules on firearms (see p. 293). The wind lasts for a number of turns equal to the successes rolled. Claws of Frozen Death Blue smoke rolls off of the werewolf’s claws and teeth, which are transformed into curving daggers of hardened ice. Wounds inflicted with these terrible weapons turn black and fester, all the warmth and life driven out of them. A snow-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Wits + Survival (difficulty 7). The transformation lasts for the rest of the scene, or until banished voluntarily. Any individual wounded by the werewolf’s fangs or claws suffers a –1 penalty for the rest of the scene as chills wrack her body. Additionally, such wounds heal badly; mortals are likely to lose injured limbs as the tissue necrotizes, and beings capable of supernaturally swift healing (such as vampires or Black Spiral Dancers) are unable to heal these wounds for one day per success on the Gift’s activation roll. This Gift can’t be used in Homid, but applies fully to the claws and/or fangs of all other forms. Salmon Swim The Wendigo can swim as easily as a fish or walk on the surface of the water as if it were land. Salmon Swim only works on freshwater bodies; any natural body such as a lake, pond, or river is fair game, but the Gift doesn’t function for swimming pools or other purely artificial containers of freshwater. It is taught by a salmon-spirit. System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Dexterity + Athletics (difficulty 7). For each success, the character can move freely on or under the surface for one scene. Additionally, during this period, the Garou can use the effects of the lupus Gift: Hare’s Leap, so long as he begins and ends his leap in a sizable body of fresh water. Speak with Wind Spirits The Wendigo may call upon wind-spirits for knowledge and guidance. She can ask them one question, which must concern the immediate area (wind-spirits have short attention spans). A wind-spirit teaches this Gift. System: Upon learning this Gift, the Garou can automatically speak with wind-spirits while in the Umbra. To ask a question in the physical world, the player must roll Manipulation + Expression (difficulty 8). The number of successes reflects the accuracy of the information. If no wind-spirits are present (such as indoors, where the air is still and stagnant) this Gift cannot function. True Fear The werewolf displays his full, terrifying might -- baring teeth or claws, howling, or simply looming ominously over a foe. Terror strikes one foe into quiescence. Spirits of fear teach this Gift. System: The player rolls Strength + Intimidation (difficulty equal to the target's Willpower). Each success cows the enemy for one turn; the victim cannot attack during this time, but may defend himself and otherwise act normally (although his actions are likely guided by overwhelming terror). Rank 3 Blood of the North The Wendigo takes winter as his brother, infusing the spiritual essence of the howling cold into his very flesh and bones. A snowspirit teaches this Gift. System: The Wendigo ignores all penalties due to cold or chilling effects, and gains an extra five dice of soak against all cold-based attacks. All Survival rolls made in cold environments are at –2 difficulty. This Gift’s effects are permanent. Bloody Feast Great Wendigo, as a hungry cannibal spirit, can teach his favored children how to gain strength from an enemy’s flesh and blood. An avatar of Great Wendigo teaches this Gift. System: The Garou must bite his opponent and taste blood — he must inflict at least one lethal or aggravated health level of damage, and his victim must be something that bleeds. If the opponent has toxic blood or none at all, this Gift cannot function. The player then rolls Gnosis at a difficulty of the opponent’s Stamina + 3. The Wendigo gains one extra dot in Strength for every two health levels of damage inflicted by the bite (maximum of + 5 to Strength). The extra Strength bonus lasts for two turns per success on the Gnosis roll. However, flesh and blood can be addictive; the Wendigo’s player must make an immediate frenzy roll the turn after activating the Gift. Sky Running The Wendigo gains the ability to run at 50 mph (80 kph) through the skies, leaving a track of fire behind him as he goes. He must continually remain in motion, or he falls. This Gift is taught by an avatar of Great Wendigo. System: The Wendigo concentrates for one turn. The player then spends one Willpower point. This Gift lasts for four hours and may be replenished by further Willpower expenditure. Wisdom of the Ancient Ways All werewolves have an innate connection to their ancestors -- a spiritual, racial unconscious accessible through intense meditation. The Wendigo can tap into these deep memories to remember ancient lore. An ancestor-spirit teaches this Gift. System: The character must meditate for a short time, concentrating on the past. The player then rolls Gnosis (difficulty 9, –1 for each dot of Ancestors the Garou possesses). The number of successes determines how detailed and exact the answer he receives will be. Rank 4 Call of the Cannibal Spirit By dancing under the night sky, the werewolf can summon an avatar of Great Wendigo to hunt down a target of the Garou’s choice. The werewolf must possess a piece of his target, whose heart the Wendigo will devour. An avatar of Great Wendigo teaches this Gift. System: The Garou must dance for three full turns. The player spends one Rage point and one Gnosis point, then rolls Charisma + Occult (difficulty 8). If the roll botches or if the Wendigo is somehow prevented from killing its target, the spirit will return to kill the summoner. Chill of Early Frost The werewolf calls down a mystical chill from Great Wendigo himself, freezing the surrounding land and anyone in it. A spirit servant of Great Wendigo teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Intelligence + Occult (difficulty varies; 4 if it is already winter, 6 for spring, 9 for summer). Success drops the temperature a bit below freezing in a five-mile (8 km) radius, or even further below zero if it was already winter. All creatures without a natural coat of fur lose two dice from all pools. This Gift wreaks particular havoc in urban environments as pipes burst and roads freeze. This Gift lasts for one day per success. Hero’s Stand The Wendigo channels the power of Gaia herself, becoming one with the earth upon which he stands. Though he may not retreat or even move from the spot for the duration of the Gift, he gains many powers through Gaia’s might. An earth elemental teaches this Gift. System: The player rolls Willpower (difficulty 8). Each success grants one extra die to all Physical dice pools. In addition, the Garou may not be surprised, and all attacks are considered frontal. The Garou may not move until all foes have been defeated or have fled. Scream of Gaia The Garou emits a horrible, ragged scream imbued with Rage and the pain of Gaia. The force of the scream batters foes and knocks them off their feet. Storm-spirits teach this Gift. System: The player spends a Gnosis point and rolls Rage. Everyone within a 50-foot (15 m) radius, except for the werewolf's pack, is blasted to the ground to suffer one unsoakable health level of bashing damage per success as a shockwave rips through the area. Rank 5 Invoke the Spirits of the Storm The Garou can summon nearly any weather effect she desires: Fog, tornadoes, blizzards, and thunderstorms all await her call. An avatar of Great Wendigo teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Willpower. (The difficulty varies based on how conceptually close the desired effect is to the current weather patterns of the area). The storm covers 10 miles per success. If the Garou summons a thunderstorm, she may spend Gnosis to call lightning down on her enemies (Wits + Occult to hit, 10 dice of aggravated damage). Heart of Ice The werewolf can call down the curse of the Wendigo on an enemy. The Garou must whisper the target’s name to the hungry winds; thereafter, the victim’s innards begin to turn to ice. An avatar of Great Wendigo teaches this Gift. System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Wits + Occult (difficulty equals the target’s Willpower). Each success inflicts one level of unsoakable aggravated damage at a rate of one health level per turn until all damage has been done.